Sociology thesis-driven essay
FINAL PAPER
This paper is intended for you to apply specific theories from the course reader to a contemporary social issue. Your task is: (1) to write a thesis-driven paper, in which you (2) demonstrate a clear, accurate, and nuanced understanding of your chosen theories, and (3) demonstrate your ability to apply these concepts by using them analyze a social issue, in a way that opens up new insights about the world.
By “thesis-driven” I mean that your paper presents a compelling argument or claim (it’s thesis) and proceeds to support that argument through a series of points and counterpoints. We will work on developing thesis statements and paper outlines in section.
Importantly: Your paper must be grounded in concrete details and specific examples. My suggestion is that, once you have chosen a topic you care about (see below), that you think very carefully about your empirical material, and try to get as specific as possible. You can choose a big topic (housing or immigration, for example) and at the same time get very specific about your empirical material (for example, you might analyze pamphlets from housing organizations, advertising campaign, websites, social media, like Twitter feeds, TV episodes, and so forth. All these cultural products can be analyzed using the social theories from our course).
Paper requirements:
7 ½-8 pages, double-spaced, regular font and margin sizes.
Your rough draft should be at least 5 pages in length.
The paper engages with at least two theorists from the course.
Uses correct citation format, with all outside resource attributed (Your “Works Cited” should note which citational system you use).
Timeline and Due Dates:
Week 5: Part of your section assignment for this week is to bring a short paragraph on your paper topic to discuss.
Weeks 5-6: You are required to schedule a meeting with a TA or with the professor to discuss and receive feedback on your paper topic.
Week 8: Your rough draft is due Monday, May 21st, uploaded to Canvas. Please also bring a hardcopy to section for peer review. You will receive feedback from your TAs at the beginning of Week 10.
Week 10: Our last week of class is devoted entirely to one-on-one meetings with your TA or with the professor to discuss your rough draft, and help you write a stellar final paper.
The final paper is due on Sunday, June 10th at 11:59pm. Upload to your paper to Canvas.
Tips on choosing a paper topic:
First and foremost, please choose a topic that you care about—something that matters to you! Beyond that, here are some tips for choosing a good paper topic:
Think about your empirical matter—what is it exactly that you are going to analyze? This isn’t a full-fledged research paper, in which you have to do a lot of background research, a literature review, etc. Instead of offering a broad and comprehensive understanding of a social issue, I want you to start from detail and particularity.
For example, if you are interested in representations of race in the media, you might look at the TV sitcom Blackish (or even and compare it with episodes from The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl). Your “empirics” or the concrete details on which you essay is based, would be an episode or two (which you would watch carefully, maybe even several times).
If you are interested in surveillance studies and data politics, you might choose a controversy around a specific technology, like the Google Home/Amazon Alexa products, or the recent revelations about Facebook and data mining. for political ads in the 2016 elections. Your empirical matter could be a few news stories or magazine articles on the topic.
Work with your TA and me on this! Main point here: select carefully!
Don’t set yourself up for an impossible task. The more specific you can get with your social issue and the empirical matter you will analyze, the better. The goal is to write a “do-able” paper…not become increasingly frustrated over the next 9 weeks!
At the same time, I encourage you take risks and ask questions you don’t yet know the answer to. Writing and theorizing can be a process of discovery, and an enjoyable process at that J